Painting fixed sights........my solution

JackD · Jun 6, 2012

My "pocket pistol" has fixed sights that are hard to see in certain lighting. The PO had painted the ramp red at one time and it was all chipped off except deep in the grooves.

I tried cleaning it real well and applying "orange Glow" model paint. It didn't last a day. Chipped right off. Researching, I learned there was a gunsight paint available, but reviews weren't especially good. I looked for colored epoxy and learned that most epoxies can be tinted with oil paints or pigments.

Since I already had the color I wanted in the Orange Glow model paint and I had some epoxy glue (in the handy syringe dispenser), I decided to give it a try. Mixing some epoxy glue and adding a few drops of the Orange Glow paint, I dabbed it on the ramp with a tooth pick. It took about 8 hours to harden, but it did harden up nicely.

The result is a nice transparent orange glow sight ramp, that is easier to see against a dark background.

How long will it last? I really don't know. Since it is epoxy, I expect it to last a long time. But time will tell.

M67 · Jun 6, 2012

Let us know how long your method lasts for you.

A solution i used was white out correction fluid. It lasted for many years and was easy to remove with acetone, when i sold the handgun.

I used a leather punch to make the dots in heavy paper for the rear sight to get the size dots i wanted and used blue painters tape to mask off the areas on the front sight i did not want covered with the white out fluid. Like along side the sight ramp, etc..

wedge556 · Jun 6, 2012

Now there's a hot tip for the day. I have a similar issue with a couple of pistols and have been mulling over how to fix it. I too thought of bright orange model paint. Now that I know that's not going to work I'll try tinting some 5 minute epoxy with a little Krylon and see if that works.

JackD · Jun 18, 2012

I gave my SP101 the same treatment.

So far, the little Taurus has been carried and fired many times and the epoxy has held up great, showing no signs of deterioration. The "paint I tried first was gone in a few days.

contrarian · Jun 18, 2012

My solution for my CZ82 was an old jar of Halloween glow-in-the-dark fingernail paint I got at Bartells. It is not the most durable coating, but givin a moment in the light to charge up the sights do stand out.

JackD · Jun 18, 2012

contrarian said:
My solution for my CZ82 was an old jar of Halloween glow-in-the-dark fingernail paint I got at Bartells. It is not the most durable coating, but givin a moment in the light to charge up the sights do stand out.

Interesting. I wonder if mixing that paint in epoxy would make it more durable and still have it's "glow in the dark" qualities.

batcat6 · Jun 18, 2012

I have a Ruger P89. The front sight was damaged when I got it. I cleaned it up with my Dremel to give it a nice verticle rear profile. I then drilled a proper sized hole into the rear about 1/16" deep. I filled it in with white sight paint from the gun show. I did have to first paint the sight with charcoal grill paint that was perfect. The finished job looks factory.

deen_ad · Jun 18, 2012

M67 said:
Let us know how long your method lasts for you.

A solution i used was white out correction fluid. It lasted for many years and was easy to remove with acetone, when i sold the handgun.

Same thing I did. Still on them even after years in my bathrobe pocket. My carry pistol I have a laser on so no need to brighten up the sights.

Sincere · Jun 19, 2012

Girlfriend's nail polish always worked well for me.

Plus she has a nice variety of colors, so one rifle's got international orange, another fluorescent yellow, a target red on a revolver, etc. and it's real easy to remove and try another color if I don't like the first.

Bon Sauvage · Jun 19, 2012

I have painted a few sights in my time and they always held up fine a long as I painted on a good quality primer first.

pioneer461 · Jun 19, 2012

Sounds like you found a good solution. I'm curious tho, how many coats of model paint did you apply? I've been carrying my S&W J frame in a pocket holster as a backup for about 6 years. I used orange day-glow model paint on the front sight and it is still as thick and visable as ever. I applied several coats, allowing them to dry 24 hours between coats.

DeanMk · Jun 20, 2012

In 1977 my dad painted the front sight of a '95 Chilean Mauser I used to (sorta) bag a deer, with a white paint that came in a metal tube (had a ball at the end of the spout, so you could "write" the paint on).
35 years, and many hunts, later, the paint's still there.
Good as new.
Aparently, resistant to gun oil, too.
I tried to find the stuff, but I can't locate it. I know its still in Dad's shop, I just have to find it.

Dean